Photographs of marine phytoplankton exposed to crude oil and dispersants in mesocosm tanks after 72h

Phytoplankton community composition can change in response to environmental variables, which in turn has effects on marine food webs and biogeochemical cycles. A mesocosm experiment was carried out to assess the effects of crude oil and dispersants on phytoplankton assemblages from the Gulf of Mexico. Photographs were taken in order to characterize how the microbial community changed after 72h of exposure.